This Love's Not for Sale (4 page)

Soon… very soon…
he sighed.

A full two weeks had passed
since Lilliana had heard from Tucker. She was surprised, frankly, that he hadn’t attempted to get in contact with her sooner and she began to wonder if he had lost all interest in her. What she meant was - her land. Oh, hell. Who did she think she was kidding? There was a tiny part of her that had liked that Tucker was interested in bedding her.

Despite his absence, her life was no better for it. The other realtors had slowly started making their way
not only to her home, but to her place of business and she was being inundated with business cards left on her doorstep and windshield of her Karmann Ghia.  Overwhelmed and with no one to talk to, Lilliana wished Margo were around more than ever.

O
ut of curiosity, she had spoken with a land appraiser to see exactly what kind of investment she was sitting on. Also, to gauge the amount of taxes she was going to be burdened with by owning so much land. She was dazed and shaken when the man called to inform her that that the 112 acres of waterfront property that Margo had gifted her with were worth almost three million dollars. Her stomach churned at the thought of being responsible for such an asset. How would she ever be able to pay the taxes, her student loan, and the mortgage she was still paying on her condo back in Kansas? On her meager salary, and until the sale went through on the condo, it would be near impossible. She briefly contemplated giving up three meals a day just make it happen but decided that probably wouldn’t make a difference anyway.

The
gifted land was turning out to be more of a nuisance than a boon. Now her nights were restless, and her stress level was nearing a high-point in her life. Except for when she had lost her mother and Margo, this was the worst thing to ever happen to her. Not even her divorce and the humiliation that came with it compared to the thought of having to give up her family’s land.

After
her miserable shift at work from worrying about her financial responsibilities to Uncle Sam, she walked out of her office building to see Tucker sitting on the hood of her car. Each time she laid eyes on him, the pull was stronger. She wanted to be annoyed, but the way he was resting casually and looking around, she found it hard to be angry with him. At least he hadn’t been hounding her like all the other realtors. He looked handsome in his dark blue business suit that was complemented by her orange car. His jacket was opened, his tie loosened and his slightly long, dark wavy hair was blowing in the light breeze. When she approached, he stood up. The way Tucker’s slacks hung sexy and low on his hips, Lilliana found it hard to make eye contact with him. When she did, his eyes lit up and the look of lust on his face woke that dark part of her womanhood that had been locked away.

“Ms. Norris, it’s good to se
e you again,” he squared his shoulders. “You look as charming as ever.”

“
Thank you. Is there something you want?” she asked, kicking herself for the suggestive question.

“I think you already
know what I want,” Tucker smiled, his eyes moving over Lilliana’s body slowly. His eyes rested on her chest momentarily and then moved to her eyes, his seductive smile widening as he bit into his bottom lip.

Placing her hands on her hips, Lilliana countered,
“I’m still not interested in selling my land.”

“
That’s fine. Would you be interested in dinner?”

Lilliana
was confused at how easily Tucker had swept her comment aside and she tried to assess his unreadable expression. Wasn’t he interested in buying her property anymore? She narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down distrustfully. What was this devious man up to?

Without thinking, h
er eyes paused between Tucker’s legs.

“
Dinner
, Ms. Norris; let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Lilliana’
s rounded hazel eyes darted up to his irises. Tucker was grinning stupidly and her cheeks burned with embarrassment realizing she been caught ogling the moderately-sized package resting between his legs and hanging to the right. She cleared her throat and scanned the parking lot in an attempt to appear uncaring to his comment.

“I’m busy,” she remarked nonchalantly.

Tucker chuckled. “No you’re not.”

Lilliana’s eyes shot back to his. “And how would you know?”

“I’ve done my homework and I know you’re not seeing anyone.”

Did he say h
omework? Had Tucker done a background check on her?  Lilliana felt uneasy with his statement and even more uncomfortable with the ravenous look in his eyes.

Offended, she asked,
“Is that standard protocol for you?”

Tucker gave her a look of not understanding her question.

“Looking up personal information about people and about who they’re dating? Is that customary for you to do?”

***

Tucker suddenly realized his fuck-up and sheepishly flashed his teeth. “Ms. Norris,” he started in.

She
put her hand up in protest. “Just stop. I
might
have been interested in dinner a moment ago, but not anymore. You already know everything there is to know about me, what’s the point? Unless you really are just after my land, in which case, I’ve already told you I’m not selling it.”

She moved towards her car door and dug out her keys, but Tucker
promptly grabbed them from her hands. He had waited two long weeks to see Lilliana again, biding his time impatiently and priming her for his mindfuck, there was no way in hell he was letting her go so easily.

Lilliana gasped and her luminous eyes widened,
“Give those to me right now!”

“Just hear me out.
No
, it’s not customary for me to do a background check, but…”

“But
what
?”

“I was interested in finding out more about the woman who seemingly has no interest in money. I’m not often confronted with that kind of person and I was
fascinated to find out, as you said, what makes you tick.”

Tucker’s
heart beat rapidly, hoping she would buy his almost-lie. It was true that he found her fascinating, but he kept his ultimate motive unspoken.

Lilliana
lunged towards him and swiped at the keys but he pulled them out of her reach. Tucker wanted to smile at how adorable Lilliana looked when she was irritated, and he again felt the urge to tease her, but held his composure. She was proving to be unpredictable and he suspected he might end up with busted lip or a worse yet, a bruised ego.

“Be reasonable, M
s. Norris. Tell me what it’ll take for you to have dinner with me.”

Lilliana
stepped back and Tucker was relieved to see that she was actually considering his offer.

“I want to read
about all your dirty little secrets, too,” she said coolly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Tucker couldn’t believe his ears.
She wanted a background check on him? Was she fucking serious? He about told her to go to hell until he saw the pout in her lips. Glancing down, he could just see the shape of Lilliana’s ass through her scrubs and he gave in. He may have been a businessman, but the keyword there was
man.
For all his professionalism and emotional detachment, he still let his dick do the thinking for him a fair amount of the time, and he was well aware of it. He couldn’t help that he wanted to taste those lips and to feel that fleshy ass grinding up against him. And more to the point, he wanted that motherfucking acreage.

“Fine,” he declared, handing
back Lilliana’s keys.

He felt
sheer delight to see the look of disbelief on her face.

“Well… I can’t tonight,”
she tried to back down.

“Oh, no, you don’t. You said dinner was contingent on doing a background check on me so be it. You’re not backing down now, little gi…
lady
,” he quickly corrected himself.  “Follow me to my office and I’ll pull up a file on myself for you to peruse. And by the way, interesting car,” he laughed, walking away from her.

Step 1
complete
.
Her interest was piqued.

***

Lilliana regretted having suggested the background check on Tucker. She wasn’t really that interested in reading about his sordid past.
Or was she?
She had already heard more than enough from her coworkers about his womanizing, dick-teasing ways. But she did give her word – sort of, so reluctantly she followed behind his car to his office.

The entire drive over Lilliana pondered what kind of secrets she would read about Tucker. Where had he grown up? Had he committed any fraud or crimes? It wouldn’t surprise her – Tucker did have that devilish, deceptive look about him. But that smile… there was just something about his crooked, toothy grin that screamed
fuck me.
No doubt that smile of his had gotten him laid numerous times and was a large part of why he was such a manwhore. That and his charm and firm body.

When they arrived at the tall, architecturally stunning building in downtown Bridgeport, they parked in the underground garage. Tucker was holding the elevator open with the beginning of a smile on the corners of his mouth, and Lilliana climbed on with him. Tucker touched the button for floor 12 and their ascent began with a jump of the elevator. She felt her chest jiggle and peeked up at Tucker to see his eyes resting on her breasts with juvenile grin on his face.
Men never grow up
. Tucker’s eyes remained on her the whole time and the silence along with his unrelenting and enigmatic stare was unnerving.

Lilliana kept avoiding his gaze but when she saw his smile widen to her nervousness, she addressed the issue.

“Would you please stop giving me
that
smile?” she asked irritably.

Tucker’s
right eyebrow rose ever so slightly, “What smile is
that
?”

“The
I’m-the-hot-and-irresistible-Tucker-McGrath-fuck-me-now
smile.” 

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lilliana regretted having said them. She needed to remind herself that just because the thought was in her head, it didn’t need to be spoken.

Tucker laughed loudly, his deep, throaty voice echoing in the small confines of the elevator.

“Is it working?” he asked in between laughs.

“What?”

“My smile. Do you want to fuck me?”

Lilliana huffed and rolled her eyes. “If by
fuck
you mean slap you upside your fat, egotistical head, then yes, I do want to
‘fuck you’
.”

A muscle flicked angrily in Tucker’s jaw and he gritted his teeth. His normally lustful eyes conveyed the fury within and
he moved in for the kill, pinning Lilliana against the wall. “Such attitude, Ms. Norris. And that brazen mouth… it seems to me you’re long overdue for a bit of discipline. I think perhaps that round bottom of yours needs to be paddled to a lovely shade of crimson.”

Tucker’s response startled Lilliana and her cheeks brightened again. Despite the panic rioting within her brain, her lower belly warmed and began to throb, and she became outraged at her physical reaction to Tucker’s threat.

Pressing his body flush against Lilliana, Tucker ran the tip of his index finger over Lilliana’s cheek and smiled devilishly. “Yes, that shade exactly.”

Lilliana stood immobile, both frightened and excited
, and she likened the feeling to being a deer caught in a predator’s sights. Tucker’s eyes were shining brightly as they darted from her mouth to her eyes as he waited for her response.  The only sound in the elevator was of both their heavy breathing. The loud ping of the elevator made her jump, but it was a welcome break in the tension. She couldn’t get off the elevator fast enough. Pushing past Tucker, she tried to remain cool and unaffected, even though her panties were thoroughly soaked.

Tucker moved past her slowly without another word and led her to a large office space
where only security and a few remaining employees were inside. A woman about the same size and age with vibrant red hair met them and looked Lilliana over questioningly. Tucker walked ahead but Lilliana approached the woman and introduced herself.

“I’m Lilliana Norris, I’m new
in town,” she offered her hand, relieved to see another person.

The woman politely took it and smiled kindly. “I’m Ariel,” she whispered.

Lilliana laughed lightly at her name because it reminded her of the famous Disney movie. The woman immediately picked up on Lilliana’s sense of humor and touched her hair.

“I know. Cliché, right?” she giggled.

“It could be worse,” Lilliana grinned.

“True, I could be named Ronnie
McDonald or something.”

Tucker peeked out of his office door
impatiently, “Are you coming, Ms. Norris?”

Ariel shot Tucker a mean look and her soft blue eyes rested on Lilliana. “Be careful with that one,” she said sweetly, reaching out and squeezing Lilliana’s hand.